1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for producing no fat or low fat potato products and the resulting products.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Potato chips are the most popular snack items in the Western world. Sales of potato chips in the United States alone in 1989 are estimated at $1,809 million.
Over the past decade, mounting evidence has been presented which points to the desirability of substantial fat reduction in the diet. To this end, manufacturers have been developing and marketing a range of products with reduced fat levels.
Potato chips are typically prepared by frying potato slices in hot oil until the aqueous moisture content of the slices is reduced to about 2% by weight or less. Fried potato chips prepared using conventional methods usually have an oil or fat content of from about 30% to about 45% by weight or more.
The high fat content puts potato chips near the top of the list in fat content among common snack foods. The high fat content is an undesirable factor to the future market leadership of this type of potato snack.
Considerable effort has been spent on the reduction of fat content in commercial potato chips. Several patents have been granted whereby a lower fat level in the chips can be attained. These, in general, result in products with a lower, but substantial fat content, which is still above 20%.
Lee, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,625, fries potatoes in oil to 10% to 25% by weight, removes surface oil and dries to 1.5% to 3% moisture.
Griffiths, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,705,679, discloses a fat free potato product in the form of hollow "pillows" formed by toasting fresh or blanched potato dices in a stream of hot (120.degree. C. to 160.degree. C.) air.
Adler, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,338,724, discloses a toasting method similar to U.S. Pat. No. 2,705,679 where potato is treated with salt and dried to 10% moisture at 310.degree. F. to 390.degree. F. to produce quick-cooking dehydrated potato pieces.
Tschirgi, U.S. Pat. No. 3,650,776, discloses a process of coating potatoes with a starch, pectin, protein and fiber coating and dehydrating to form rehydratable hash brown potatoes.
Potato based foods produced in accordance with these patents suffer from the shortcoming that they do not resemble in appearance, texture or flavor the potato chip to which consumers are accustomed.
Dreher, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,916, teaches preparation of low oil potato chips by washing the sliced potato, at least partially coating the slices with oil, blanching and then baking the blanched slices at a temperature of at least 200.degree. C. to below the smoke point of the oil to dry the slices to a moisture content of 10 to 25 weight percent and then further baking the slices to 2% or less moisture using 145.degree. C. to 160.degree. C. temperature.
Childers, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,965, teaches preparation of oil free potato slices by washing, peeling if desired, slicing, applying seasoning, tempering to absorb the seasoning and then toasting the chip using heated surfaces which keep the potato slice under pressure.
Kloos, U.S. Pat. No. 4,906,483, treats potatoes by cooking potato slices in water in a microwave, rinsing, browning and crispening in a radiant heat oven.
Standing, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,073,952, slices potatoes, blanches the slices in hot water containing a sulfur discoloration inhibitor, cools and rinses, and dries the slices for 20 to 120 minutes with microwave energy and heated moisture treated air to 4% to 12%. Optionally, the microwave power is reduced after the moisture content has been lowered to 20%.
Mancuso, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,586,512, teaches treating peeled, washed, sliced potatoes with a fat containing, color changing, breading mix and baking on a cookie sheet for 25 to 30 minutes at 425.degree. F.
Mancuso, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,402,649, teaches soaking potato slices in oil at temperatures not exceeding the gelatinization temperature of potato starch and drying at 225.degree. F. to 350.degree. F. to brown.
Schnell, U.S. Pat. No. 4,160,039, teaches simulating deep fat fried food by coating the food with yeast, vegetable oil and water and baking in an oven.
Yuan, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,425, treats potato slices with protein, oil and microwave heating to a deep fried appearance.
Despite the numerous proposals for reducing the oil content of potato chips, no oil or low oil potato chips prepared using previously known processes often have one or more drawbacks that may include undesirable texture, flavor or color characteristics. Also, the previously known processes for preparing the low oil potato chips generally are not economically feasible for large scale commercial potato chip production. Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for an economical and efficient process for producing high quality no or low oil potato chips.